Photo print flattener



Aug. 23, 1960 E. SCHLUETER PHOTO PRINT FLA'ITENER Filed April 10, 1958 FIG.2

United States Patent -O PHOTO PRINT FLA'ITENER Ernest Schlueter, 74 Edwards Road, Troy, N.Y. Filed Apl'. 10, 1958, Sei. N0. 727,724 4 Claims. (Cl. 95-104) This invention relates to devices for flattening thin sheets or strips of material which has a tendency to curl due to its having been rolled or coiled or treated in such a manner as to normally induce a set in curved condition when a flattened condition is desired.

More particularly the invention relates to the flattening cf photo prints having a tendency to take on a convex or concave curl.

In the use of rapid processes for making prints immediately after the picture is taken, as witl1 a Polaroid camera where the development takes place within the camera box, it is necessary to apply a protective coating to the face cf the print immediately after the latter is taken from the carnera. Such a print has a marked tendency to curl concavely relative to its face and thus interfere with the application of the coating cornposition.

T flatten the print it has been previously suggested that the print be drawn face np, over an edge of the camera. This operation requires the camera to remain in a stable position while each end of the print is held by the respective hands. AI; best the operation is awkward, to say nothing of the difiiculty of flattening edge portions of the print held by the fingers.

An object of this invention is to provide a handy print flattener that will dispense With the need for holding the print with the two hands when the print is being flattened.

A related object is to eliminate the need for a stable object having an edge over which the print is to lbe drawn.

Still another object is to provide an economical device which will be simple to operate and which will be portable enough for pocket carrying.

The inventive features for the attainment of these and other objects are shown in connection with a device which briefly stated includes a plate having a downwardly and backwardly curved straight edge portion and a roller mounted near such edge to engage one face of the print when the opposite face is drawn over the edge portion.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invent1on,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device showing a print therein, and

Fig. 2 is a plan of the device.

The device comprises a flat base-plate having a leading straight edge portion 11 downwardly and rearwardly turned as shown so as to permit drawing a print 12 over the edge portion. The plate is generally rectangular, the edge portion being a lateral side, and is provided with two upstanding opposite end flanges 14 extending the width of the base integral with the base and on which a roller 15 substantially as long as the edge portion is mounted slightly to the rear of the edge portion and spaced from the plate sufficiently to allow easy passage of the print therebetween. The flanges 14 aid in guiding the print through the device.

The roller is axially parallel with the edge portion.

In use, the print, having a tendency to roll up or curl concavely, is inserted under the roller 15 with the trailing edge 16 of the print tending to rise as shown. The forward I CC 2 portion 17 is grasped with, say, the right band while the device is held in the left band with the fingers on one, and the thumb on the other of the flanges 14. It is not essential that the device be held against a stable object.

The forward print portion 17 is drawn down over the edge portion 11 to rernove the set of the print by tending to impart a reverse set to the print as successive zones of the print pass over the edge portion as at 18. During the drawing operation the roller 15 holds the print in cngagement with the edge portion, the roller rotating so as not to scratch the normally concave face of the print.

Other manners of use of the device are possible. The curved edge portion 11 may be employed as a hook to hook over the edge of, say, a board hook cover or other suitable substantially firm mernber to mount the device thereon. This use is especially convenient when the print, or strip material passed therethrough, is thin and the concave face of the material is toward the base 10. In this manner of use a long strip may be drawn back and forth under the roller With both hands at the respective ends of the strip. The direction of pull on the strip should, of course, be such that it does not tend to pull the hook off the firm member.

Many modi-fications 015 the device and use thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

l. A device for flattening photographic prints comprising a flat base plate having a straight edge portion downwardly and rearwardly turned, the plate having upturned end flanges; and a roller mounted on said flanges over the plate and axially parallel with and adjacent to the edge portion, said edge portion providing an edge over which a print may be drawn to tend to vary the curl of the print, the flanges providing finger grasps for the device and said edge portion providing a hook for mounting the device, as a double function of the edge portion.

2. A device for flattening photographic prints comprising a flat base plate having a lateral edge portion downwardly and rearwardly turned the length of the plate to provide a continuously straight cross-sectionally rounded edge portion fast with respect to the plate, said plate having upturned flanges integral therewith and at each end of the base plate for guiding between the flanges the lead end of a print along upon the plate and toward the edge portion, and a roller mounted on the flanges axially parallel with the edge portion slightly rearwardly therefrom and adjacent but slightly spaced from the plate so that when a concave curled print is drawn under the roller and over and downwardly past the edge portion the roller will hold the print down on the plate until the print substantially passes the edge portion.

3. A device for flattening hotographie prints comprising a flat base plate having a lateral edge portion downwardly and rearwardly turned the length of the plate to pro vide a rounded edge portion in the form of a hook fast With respect to the plate, said plate having upturned flanges integral therewith and at each end of the base plate for guiding the lead end of a print along upon the plate and toward the edge portion, a roller substantially as long as the plate and mounted on the flanges axially parallel with the edge portion slightly rearwardly therefrorn and adjacent, but slightly spaced from the plate, so that when a concave cnrled print is drawn under the roller and over and downwardly past the edge portion, the roller will hold the print down on the plate until the print substantially passes the edge portion.

4. A device for flattening photographic prints comprising a flat base plate having a lateral edge portion downwardly and rearwardly turned the length of the plate to provide a continuously straight cross-sectionally rounded 3 edge portion in the form of a hook fast with respect to the plate, said plate having parallel upturned continuous flanges integral therewith and at eacl1 and of the base plate extending the width therteof for guiding the 'l ead line of a priut alorig upon the -plate and toward the edge portion, and a roller mounted on the flanges axially paralle1 With the edge portion slightly rearwardly therefrorn and adjacent but slightly spaced from the plate so that when a concave curled print is drawn under the toller References Cited in the file cf this patent UNITED SIATES PATENTS Hulbert Inne 29, 1886 Farley July 30, 1957 

